The present invention relates to a system and method for collecting and assembling data for subsequent presentation to a recipient. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method that provides an improved interface to facilitate the creation of such a presentation.
Information is collected and presented to people in many different ways. Written text, in the form of books, newspapers, and magazines, represent one conventional way of presenting readers with information. Electronically, the written text, in the form of text data, may be presented to people over a computer or other similar device. For example, people may access a web site that provides news and other textual information, along with information in other media formats, such as pictures and other images.
Another way in which information is presented to people is via a presentation, in which a person communicates such information to a person or group of persons. To assist the presenter in communicating such information, conventionally an overhead projector is used to display a sequence of transparent slides, with each slide typically consisting of text and/or some graphical image.
With computers gaining in terms of popularity, such presentations are often carried out through the use of a computer running appropriate software. One example of such software is PowerPoint(trademark) available from Microsoft Corporation. As is well known in the art, PowerPoint(trademark) creates a series of screen slides that typically include written text, and that may include a graphical image or the like. The screens are arranged in some order as dictated by the author. During presentation, the screens are displayed, with the progression from one screen to another being controlled by the presenter, or alternatively being performed automatically by the software.
While such software provides significant benefits and advantages, there are still disadvantages associated therewith. For example, in a conventional presentation, the author must bring the presentation, run PowerPoint(trademark), and carry out the presentation. In addition, there is no provision for on-demand sharing of the presentation.
Moreover, an issue exists with respect to maintaining the synchronization between all of the associated assets of a presentation (e.g., the screen slides, audio clips, and the like). Conventionally, time-based information (xe2x80x9cevent dataxe2x80x9d) is incorporated within the respective media files. As such, the only way to ensure correct synchronization on playback is to play the entire presentation sequentially, and from beginning to end. In addition, certain media formats do not even allow for incorporating such event data.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a system and method that controls the synchronization of various time-based assets during playback, regardless of the particular media format. The present invention addresses one or more of these desirable features.
The present invention provides a system and method for creating a multi-media presentation. The invention preferably provides software that relies on a set of event data that is maintained separate from any of the media files that are presented during the presentation. By providing separate event data, the system and method may work independently of the media format. Moreover, it is immaterial whether the particular media format supports the incorporation of such event data.
Thus, in one embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of displaying data to a recipient. The displaying of data commences at a preselected position, and the current position of the display is determined. The position is compared with a set of event data. A selected digital asset is displayed based on the comparison of the position with the event data. A timeout is calculated based on the position and the event data, and a clock is set to fire upon reaching the timeout. Once the clock fires, a polling process is initiated to determine the position of the display. A new digital asset is then displayed based on a comparison of the determined position with the event data. Finally, a new timeout is calculated, and the clock is reset to fire upon reaching the new timeout.